Casing for shaft-joints



G. F. MURPHY.

CASING FOR SHAFT JOINTS.

APPLICATION man ocT.29.lx9\e.

PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

GEORGE F. MURPHY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

i CASING- FOR SHAFT-JOINTS.

To all 'whom 2f may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Casings for Shaft-Joints, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the device embodying my invention.

' Fig. 2 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation, with a portion of the device attached.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III- III of Fi l, and

igure 4 is member.

My invention has relation to casings for shaft joints, and while adapted for use generally wherever it is desired to so incase a shaft joint as to enable it to retain lubricating material without leakage, has been more particularly designed for use in connection with the jointed shafts of automobile drives.

y invention character which is capable of flexing suciently to adapt itself to the various movements of the shaft members relatively to each other; which will enable the joint to be surrounded by a lubricant and will retain the same without leakage; and which is simple in its construction.

eferring to the accompanying drawing in which l have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 2 and 3 designate shaft members which are connected by a universal joint 4 of any wellknown type, the shaft 3 being designed to move freely within the required limits with respect to the member 2.

a plan view of the ring provides a casing of this ment with the end portion of the shaft member so as to permit endwise movement of said member in said sleeve. My invention, however, is not concerned with the particular character of the universal joint, since it is applicable to various forms of such joints.

Secured to the end portion of the shaft member 2 is a disk or flange 6 whose inner surface is shaped to form the annular erlpheral seat 7 for a ring 8, the ring 8 belng Specification of Letters Patent. Application mea october 29, 191s. serial No.

l vides a simple and eilicient casing of the l wlthoutv departing from th lslip-joint therein, a

Patented sept. 7, 1920. 260,083.

secured to the flange or disk 6 by a plurality of bolts 9. 0 is a casing member which is detachably secured to the shaft section by any suitable means such as the nut 11. 12 designates a flexible casing member which .is formed of some durable material which shaft member 3 with respect to the shaft member 2. It may, for instance, consist of sheet copper having the deep U-shaped, bellows-like corrugations 13. ne end of this casing member is securely fastened to the ring 8, preferably by brazing, and its other en is similarly fastened to the inner end of the casing The latter is shown as having a filling opening normally closed by a plug 14, and through which a lubricant maybe introduced to the interior of the casing.

It will be readily seen that it would be impossible for oil to be thrown out of this casing so long as it remains intact; and the flexibility of the portion 12 enables the casing to readily follow the movements of the shaft member 3.

' hen desired, the nuts may be removed from the bolts 9, and by un-screwing the nut 11 the casing parts 10 and 12 may removed as a unlt, as shown in Fig. 2.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent from the foregoing since it posired character. I did n ot limit myselfto the particular constructlon and arrangethat various changes may e spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. The combination with two shaft members connected by a universal joint, and one of said members also having a longitudinal slip-joint therein, of an oil-tight flexible casing connected to said members to rotate therewith and entirely surrounding and inclosin said joint, together with means where y lubricant may be introduced into said casing, substantially as described.

2. he combination with two shaft sections connected by a universal joint, and one of said members having a longitudinal rigid member ri idly secured to each shaft section to rotate t ere-l with, and a corrugated cured at each end to one flexible casing seof said rigid members to rotate therewith and entirely inclosing and surrounding the said joints, said caslng having an oil-tight connection With said members and said members having an oil-tight connection wit h their respective my hand.

GEORGE F. MURPHY. 

